Errol Spence Jr – Soon to be one of the most feared men in boxing

Last night, Errol Spence Jr. was successful in the first defense of his IBF welterweight title and improved to 23-0, 20 KOs against Lamont Peterson. Lamont Peterson, a tough veteran, and two-time world champion, was no match for the hungry 28-year-old who showed that he is a major force in the welterweight division.

Last night, Spence showed why he is probably the best welterweight in a stacked division. Peterson has been in with the likes of Danny Garcia, Lucas Matthysse, Amir Khan, Victor Ortiz and Timothy Bradley, yet stated that Spence was the best fighter he’s entered the ring with. In the fight, Spence showed excellent composure and balance and always seemed to be in the perfect range to unload a barrage of vicious combinations. In the fifth, a well placed left hook sent Peterson to the canvas and hurt him badly. Peterson showed tremendous heart and began throwing bombs; but Spence was un deterred and stuck with the game plan, landing vicious punches to both the body and the head. Finally, at the start of the 8th round Barry Hunter threw in the towel, saving Peterson from more unnecessary punishment. Barry Hunter saved Peterson’s life when he was younger and on the streets, and may have saved him last night from taking vicious damage that could have been deadly.

Errol Spence Jr. is a skilled and aggressive boxer and is the perfect combination of boxer and puncher. Spence is always composed, has tremendous balance, and is always in the perfect range to land a variety of combinations. Spence mixes it up to both the body and head and has showed devastating power in both hands. Peterson may not be a huge puncher, but landed a number of clean power punches to no avail because nothing deterred Spence, showing that not only does he possess power, but he packs a chin too. The only thing lacking is that at times he seems to be flat footed and doesn’t show a lot of footwork; but for the fans this is what makes Errol Spence Jr. so exciting.

Quietly, Spence has accumulated one of the best records in the welterweight division; being the first to stop Chris Algieri, something Pacquiao and Provodnikov failed to do, being the first to stop Leonard Bundu, and dismantling both Kell Brook and Lamont Peterson. Spence’s only downfall is the lack of activity, although he has stated he wants to fight three times in 2018… so hopefully he gets his wish. But with the way he is performing, I cannot foresee that there will be many rushing to share the ring with Errol “The Truth” Spence. In the post fight interview, Spence called out Keith “some time” Thurman and said he has wanted to fight him since he was 15-0. This is a matchup that all fans are clamoring for, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it’s one we don’t see for quite a while.